1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless networks, and more specifically to provisioning of multiple wireless devices by an access point.
2. Related Art
An access point (AP) refers to a switching device, which receives packets from one wireless device and forwards the packet to or towards a target device. The target device is often another wireless device in the same wireless network, though it can be a device connected through a wired network via the access point. The access point communicates with the wireless devices using protocols such as WLAN operating according to IEEE 802.11 standard.
A wireless device generally needs to be provisioned before being able to communicate with other devices via an AP implementing various security measures. Provisioning generally entails configuring (e.g., storing at appropriate locations) the wireless device with various parameters that enable the wireless device to comply with the security measures enforced by the AP. In many WLAN environments the parameters include SSID (Service set identification) of the network and a passphrase, as is well known in the relevant arts.
There are often situations when multiple wireless devices are to be provisioned. For example, a user may purchase multiple WLAN capable devices for home use, and thereafter wish that all these devices be enabled to communicate via a pre-existing AP installed at home. It may be desirable that the user be facilitated to provision all such devices with as less technical knowledge or effort as possible.
WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) is a standard that has been adopted by many vendors of APs and wireless devices, to simplify configuration of a new wireless device in a wireless network at locations such as homes. A push-button mode is one of the approaches defined by WPS, in which a user is normally required to press respective buttons of an AP and a new wireless device (enrollee) within a short duration (typically 2 minutes) such that the AP (or other device operating as a registrar) can automatically provide the configuration information/parameters to the wireless device.
However the push-button mode of operation may require that the user press the respective pair (one on the specific wireless device and the other on the AP) of buttons for configuration of each wireless device. Such an approach may be inconvenient at least in environments where multiple wireless devices are available to be provisioned at the same time.
In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.